


Conversations With Nate

by meils121



Category: Leverage
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 14:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13102431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meils121/pseuds/meils121
Summary: Conversations with Nate are always interesting.





	Conversations With Nate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Valawenel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valawenel/gifts).



            Conversations with Nate are always interesting.  Sometimes unnerving, sometimes strange, sometimes edging on dangerous, but always interesting.  

            It’s taken time to adjust.  Eliot’s used to working for people who don’t always explain themselves all the way.  He’s never been one to question orders.  In the Army, that’s the sort of thing that would get you killed.  With Moreau - well, no one asked questions.  They didn’t want to find out what happened if they did.  But with Nate, it’s not so much questioning orders as it is asking how the hell that idea is going to work.  He’s pushed to his limits every job in a way he’s never been before.  He’s still deciding if he likes that or not.

            And then there’s Nate himself.  On a good day, there’s something off about him.  On a bad day - well, Eliot doesn’t like to think much about the bad days.  But lately, they’ve been happening more and more often.  

            Take today, for example.  This is the sort of job where Hardison’s specialty is needed more than Eliot’s.  That means Eliot is stuck in the van with Nate.  A morose, grumpy, pissed-off Nate.  

            “Do you always turn into the Grinch around Christmas?”  Eliot asks when he finally can’t stand the eerie silence.  

            “Excuse me?”

            “You’ve been miserable since Thanksgiving.  That’s the only conclusion I can come to, that you hate Christmas.”

            “I don’t hate Christmas.”  Nate says, but he doesn’t exactly sound convincing.  

            “Whatever.  If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine.  I’m just saying, you could stand to be a little more cheerful.  Parker’s starting to worry that you’re going to get coal in your stocking.”

            “Technically, we all should be getting coal.”  Nate says.  And yeah, that’s true.  Eliot shrugs and leans back against the wall of the van.  

            “You know what I mean.”  He says, but Nate doesn’t answer.  Several long minutes pass in silence.  Eliot doesn’t care.  He just knows Nate’s attitude’s been bothering Parker, and that bothers him.  That’s all.

            Nate gives Eliot a look, the sort that would have a lesser person squirming.  “Stop.”  He says.  “Guilt tripping me won’t work.  I’m Catholic, remember?  I practically survive on guilt.”

            “Wasn’t trying to guilt trip you.”  Eliot says honestly.  “I just thought you should know that you’re bumming out Parker.”

            “I -”  Nate sighs.  “You’re probably right.  I don’t mean to.”

            “I know.”  Eliot says.  “Doesn’t mean that it’s okay.”

            Nate frowns.  “She reminds me.”  He says, almost to himself.  “Sam loved Christmas.”

            Eliot could kick himself.  Of course that’s what this is about.  They don’t talk about Sam, not really.  Nate mentions his kid sometimes, but most of the time Sam is a subject that’s firmly off limits and the rest of them respect that.  

            “Sorry.”  Eliot says.  He knows what it’s like to be a kid who’s lost a parent.  He doesn’t get - will probably never get - what it’s like the other way around.  

            There’s a heavy silence in the van that stretches out.  It probably lasts only two or three minutes, but it feels like an eternity.

            “You know that look Parker gets on her face when you give her a present?”  Nate asks.  He doesn’t wait for an answer.  “It reminds me of Sam.  How excited he was to see what was underneath the wrapping paper.  It almost didn’t matter what the present was.  He just liked the magic of it.”

            Eliot doesn’t know what to say.  He nods his understanding, but it doesn’t feel like enough.  “Is - is there something you need from us?”

            “No.”  Nate says shortly, like he always does when a topic he doesn’t like comes up.  But then his features soften a little.  “I don’t mean to be so grumpy, not around Christmas.  It’s just hard.  Holidays always are.”

            And Eliot gets that.  He barely registered the first few holidays after his mama died.  But they were painful for a long time.  None of her pies baking in the oven, no hearing her voice crooning along to whatever her ancient radio was playing.

            “Why do you stick around for them, then?”  Eliot asks.  “You could take the month off.  Go out to some cabin in the woods and just shut out Christmas.”

            “I used to think that would work.”  Nate says.  “It doesn’t.  Besides, the team - it’s like another family to me.”  

            Eliot nods.  “Yeah.  I know the feeling.”  He says.

            Nate looks over at him.  “Don’t - don’t tell the others.”  He says.  “Sophie’ll just make me talk about my feelings.”

            “I won’t.”  Eliot promises.  

            Silence falls again, but this time Eliot thinks maybe he’s got Nate a little more figured out.

 


End file.
